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Transcript

Speculation that new US weapons research could be aimed at North Korea

AM - Saturday, 24 May , 2003 08:08:07

Reporter: John Shovelan

HAMISH ROBERTSON: US President George Bush and Japanese Prime Minister, Junichiro Koizumi, have both warned North Korea that it'll face "tougher measures" if it escalates the current nuclear tension on the Korean Peninsula.

The two leaders have held discussions about the crisis at the President's "alternative White House" in Crawford, in Texas.

This week, the US Congress approved funding for research into a nuclear-armed "bunker-busting bomb."

As John Shovelan reports from Washington, Pentagon planners may have in mind the elaborate tunnels and fortifications used by the North Koreans to conceal their armaments.

JOHN SHOVELAN: It was Japan's Prime Minister, Junichiro Koizumi, who warned North Korea against upping the anti.

[Sound of Junichiro Koizumi speaking]

JUNICHIRO KOIZUMI [Translated]: Further escalation of the situation by North Korea would require tougher measures.

JOHN SHOVELAN: And some defence analysts in Washington believe the Pentagon is already planning for measures not previously thought possible.

North Koreans are renowned for their ability to tunnel into the earth. There are kilometres of elaborate tunnels running under the demilitarised zone into South Korea.

For decades mining equipment has had dual usage in North Korea: one, to construct deep underground bunkers for storage and as weapons platforms.

This week, the US Congress swept aside a decade-old ban on research into low-yield nuclear weapons, and one in particular: the robust nuclear earth penetrator.

In making his case to lift the ban, US Defence Secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, could very well have been describing the North Korean military defences.

DONALD RUMSFELD: Terrorist states have basically developed the ability to use dual-use technology, tunnelling equipment, to put underground laboratories, development areas, manufacturing areas, deployment areas, storage areas, and indeed in some case deployment areas where they actually launch weapons from underground facilities.

That means that there are an increasing number of weapons, and that includes nuclear, biological and chemical, that are in deeply buried areas. The United States needs to see that we've studied a variety of ways that we might be able to deeply penetrate the earth and reach those types of areas.

JOHN SHOVELAN: The Bush Administration has refused to take the military option off the table in its dealings with North Korea, and some defence analysts believe the Pentagon's pursuit of a nuclear-armed bunker-busting bomb is with North Korea in mind.